On video: the protest against the corona restrictions continues (Reuters)
The security agency that oversees law enforcement throughout China yesterday called for the suppression of the "hostile forces" protest against the Corona restrictions, which broke out over the weekend in various cities.
Police were deployed to the now empty streets and protest sites, and protesters claimed that the police had contacted them to get information about their location.
At the same time, the Chinese health authorities are now saying that the corona lockdowns should be "shorter".
In recent days, China recorded a record number of new corona infections.
Today, China is the only major economy with a "zero corona" policy, in which local authorities rush to suppress any outbreak with strict lockdowns and isolation.
Over the weekend, thousands took to the streets in major Chinese cities to demand an end to the harsh restrictions, with some calling for the resignation of President Xi Jinping.
But a heavy police presence in cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, prevented the protests from continuing.
The Central Committee for Legal and Political Affairs of the Communist Party announced that "it is necessary to suppress the infiltration and sabotage operations of the hostile forces, in accordance with the law."
The statement, reported by the official Xinhua news agency, did not mention the protest, which began following a fire that broke out last week in an apartment in the city of Urumqi, in which ten people were killed.
According to the residents, the rescue and rescue efforts were delayed due to the corona restrictions in place, which also made it difficult for the residents to escape.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian even found himself in an awkward moment and censored himself during a press briefing.
When asked if China's corona policy would change, or end, following the protests, Zhao chose to remain silent and review his documents.
After about a minute of silence, Zhao asked the Reuters reporter to repeat the question, and in response he was silent again, then said that the reporter's question did not reflect reality.
A protester against the corona restrictions in Hong Kong was also arrested (Photo: Reuters)
The awkward moment
Confronting the policemen (Photo: Reuters)
Police cars fill the streets to prevent demonstrations (Photo: Reuters)
Protests in China against the corona restrictions (Photo: Reuters)
Yesterday, large groups of police were seen patrolling parts of Beijing and Shanghai.
In addition, 150 police officers were reported to have arrived at a busy shopping area in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, following rumors of a planned demonstration circulating on social media.
However, it seems that the demonstrations had some effect on the regime.
The Chinese health authorities said yesterday that the authorities should reduce the "discomfort" caused by the corona virus.
Peng, the spokesman for China's National Health Commission (NHC), told reporters that "the imposition of closures and cancellations should be done more quickly," and that "control measures should be constantly updated."
Earlier, the health authorities called for a more targeted implementation of measures - saying that the complaints about the tough measures were the result of "arbitrary" local decisions, not national guidelines.
In Guangdong province, authorities announced changes to the coronavirus policy yesterday, allowing some people to undergo home isolation rather than a state facility.
news
world news
Asia and the Pacific
Tags
China
Corona
demonstrations
Beijing
